Decrepit

Etymology

From Latin "decrepitus," combining the prefix de- with "crepare" (to creak, crack, or rattle). The image is of something so old it creaks — literally "creaked out." That faint sound of a worn hinge or a stiff joint is folded into the word’s history.

adjective · /dih-KREP-it/
Worn out, weakened, or falling apart from age or long use.
What it names
A vivid word for the wear of time on bodies, buildings, and machines alike — decay that comes specifically from having lasted too long.
Example
They inherited a decrepit farmhouse whose floors sagged and whose pipes groaned at every tap.
Related idea
Dilapidated describes structures that have fallen into disrepair; decrepit leans toward the frailty of age, and applies to bodies as readily as to buildings.